Healthcare was the only issue concerning Sen. Susan Collins' constituents in Maine as she returned home over the congressional recess, she told The Washington Post on Wednesday.
Collins said she participated in a Fourth of July parade in her state and "I heard, over and over again, encouragement for my stand against the current version of the Senate and House healthcare bills. People were thanking me, over and over again. 'Thank you, Susan!' 'Stay strong, Susan!'"
She said it was unusual that concern over the healthcare bill was the only issue constituents brought up with her, because "It's usually a wide range of issues" that people want to speak about when she is in her home state.
Collins was a key factor in the GOP leadership's decision to delay voting on the bill due to her early resistance to it, The Hill reported.
The Republicans can afford to lose only two GOP votes in the Senate and still pass the legislation.
Collins said what finalized her decision not to support the bill was the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office's estimate that the legislation would leave 22 million Americans uninsured.
Collins was one of the few Republican senators to even show up at the annual parades in their states, according to The New York Times.
Many avoided any public appearances at all, apparently due to the unpopularity of the GOP healthcare bill and a desire not to face a hostile public that has made itself heard at other public events in previous congressional recesses.
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